


of all that is shifting and shaking my system

by carefulren



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David is one of those people, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Sickfic, bc he's a busy bee you know, sweet son he tries, you know those people who just try to ignore that they are sick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-18 21:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11883549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: Prompt: "Any chance you could write some sick!David from Camp Camp? Like, he tries *so* hard to do his usual stuff and refuses to admit he's sick, but just ends up making it worse?"





	of all that is shifting and shaking my system

David wakes to the sun every morning; it never fails. The second the sky begins to fade to a soft blue as the sun peeks out from behind the trees, he’s up. And, today is no different. Consciousness is pulling him from sleep as day comes to life from behind his dusty window; he can sense the faint light from behind closed eyes, yet, there’s something else.

 

A sharp, pulsing thump pushes behind his eyes and up across his forehead. It’s, well, it’s uncomfortable, if he’s to be frank. It’s making his head feel heavy, as if filled to the brim with weights, yet when he cracks his eyes open, everything appears light, almost airy, as if he’s seconds away from floating toward his wooden ceiling.

 

A spike of worry dances across his veins as he slowly moves into a sitting position with one hand pressed against his forehead. Just the small action of sitting up leaves the entire room spinning enough that he has to physically concentrate on keeping himself upright. Underneath his palm, his skin is hot and sticky, but he chases away any ideas of a fever with the obvious thought that he’s merely hot because it’s summer and his ceiling can only spin on the lowest setting without jerking around as if about to fall off.

 

He swings his legs over the bed and stands, and for a moment, everything blurs to grey. He squeezes his eyes shut and blindly reaches out toward his nightstand to keep himself upright as he waits for this rather unfortunate wave of dizziness to pass. Still, he pegs it on standing up too fast; sometimes his muscles wake up faster than his mind. This is one of those cases, he tells himself. That’s all it is.

 

*****

 

Two hours into his shift, however, and he’s struggling. His voice is shifting into a deep croak that grates against a throbbing throat, his muscles ache, chasing after the kids is sucking his energy way faster than usual, and his temperature is fluctuating from boiling hot to icy cold in the blink of an eye. One second, he’s fanning himself, and the next, he’s tightening shaking arms around a shivering frame despite the sun’s rays beating down against over-heated skin. The headache from before has been steadily creeping up in intensity as well, but he pushes on despite the notable side glances from the others.

 

These kids need him, he reminds himself as he forces a strained smile at the group. They come here every summer for fun activities, and he has to deliver. He wants to deliver. He wants to give these kids the best time ever. He wants-

 

“David!”

 

David practically leaps out of his skin at the sudden voice that pulls him from his thoughts. He turns a wide gaze toward Max with one hand pressed against his racing heart. “Max,” he breathes out along a shaking laugh. “You scared me! You shouldn’t shout like that.” His scold is light despite the deep rasp dropping his tone significantly.

 

“I wouldn’t have to fucking shout had you heard me the first five times.”

 

Frowning, David quirks his head to the side. Five times? He must have really been lost in thought. He scratches at the back of his neck and swallows thickly around a tickle at the back of this throat. “I was deep in thought,” he tells Max before turning to the other kids with a growing smile. “Actually, this could be a learning lesson. Sometimes, taking time out to silently ponder life’s many wonders is- ow!” He shouts, words clipping off as drops to one knee after Max kicks him hard in the leg.

 

“Max, violence isn’t-”

 

“What’s wrong with you?”

 

Max’s voice is sharp, demanding, and David frowns. “Why, nothing’s wrong, Max!” He says, holding back a wince at the loud tone that further irritates his throat. He plasters a smile to his face, though, it fails to reach his tired eyes. He keeps himself steady, confident, under Max’s scrutinizing gaze, and thankfully, the younger boy doesn’t push further, only stalks off to meet up with Nikki and Neil while muttering under his breath.

 

David gets to his feet and bends over to rub at his sore leg for a moment before he straightens his back. He rubs absently at his throat as he watches the kids fall about into their usual antics.

 

*****

 

The food on David’s lunch plate doesn’t necessarily look bad; it looks as good as usual actually. But, he can’t muster up hunger, which is odd considering he hasn’t eaten since dinner the night before. He picks at his sandwich and promptly zones out, only to shoot back into reality when a tiny hand snatches up the apple on his tray.

 

“I’m taking this,” Max says, and David shoots the boy a soft smile and a shrug.

 

“It’s all yours,” David says with a weak cough that sneaks out before he can swallow it back. He waves away the arched brow look Max shoots him with wide smile. “I’m fine, Max.”

 

“Who the fuck said I’m concerned?” Max questions harshly before he chomps small teeth down onto the apple.

 

David only turns back toward his food, but to his surprise, Max doesn’t leave. He drags a tired gaze back toward the younger boy. “Did you need something?” He asks, keeping his voice as light as possible.

 

“You’re shaking, you know.”

 

Frowning, David lifts one hand to see it trembling. His entire body is trembling, actually. He’s feeling promptly chilled through despite the warmth of the small cafeteria.

 

“And you sound and look like shit.”

 

“Max-”

 

“You’re sick.” Max says flatly, cutting David off.

 

“I’m perfectly fine,” David chirps out despite a sudden cough interrupting his voice. He clears his rough throat and shoots Max a wide smile.

 

“You’re an idiot,” is all Max opts to reply before hopping off the chair and exiting the cafeteria.

 

David watches the younger boy go with a frown. He’s clearly failing at his camp counselor job if campers are picking up on his apparent lack of energy, so he makes a vow to kick up his game for the latter half of the day. He can do this, he tells himself; it’s just a swimming lesson and a hike. Easy peasy.

 

*****

 

“When are you going to admit that you’re fucking sick?”

 

David ignores Mas as he struggles to pull himself out of the lake and back onto the pier. The water is entirely too cold against his skin, so much that he fears he will never get warm again.

 

“I’m n-not sick,” he tells the younger boy as he drags himself onto the damp wood of the pier and pulls his knees up to his chest. He turns away to cough harshly into his shoulder, and the force of each cough pierces his head like a knife stabbing at his brain.

 

“Okay, David. Keep telling yourself that.”

 

David watches as Max leave before he drops his forehead against one knee. He just barely managed the swim, but he managed all the same. Now all that’s left is the hike. He can do this.

 

*****

 

“Campers! Did you know that hiking is becoming an incredibly popular athletic pastime?” David asks, walking backwards to face the others. The chill he felt before has been replaced by a stifling heat. His collar is damp with sweat, and his shirt is sticking uncomfortably to his skin. With this, his headache is borderline blinding, and his throat downright hurts. But, he’s still going strong.

 

“I’m pretty sure that’s fake,” Gwen mutters under her breath, but David still catches it.

 

He whips around to face the girl walking in front of him, but the movement jostles his brain and has his vision growing dark. He parts his lips, wanting to speak, to move past this, but the darkness is clinging to his vision.

 

“David?”

 

He knows Gwen is talking. He can see her, even if she’s doubling and tripling before his eyes. He shakes his head slowly, struggling to keep himself here, present, but he can’t. He can vaguely see Max moving toward him, but he’s fighting a losing battle.

 

He’s falling before his mind can catch up, ground rushing toward his face at an alarming speed. The last thing he hears is an uncharacteristically worried “David!” before everything goes black.

 

*****

 

When he wakes, he’s staring at the sky, and a faint smile plays at his lips. It’s a clear blue, not a single cloud covering it, and the sun is holding strong and lighting it up.  

 

“David?”

 

David shifts a slow gaze toward Max, who is crouched beside him with a rare face of concern.

 

“He’s awake?”

 

Gwen pops up over him, blocking the sun with her smaller frame. Her face falls into a clear show of relief before she turns toward the other campers.

 

“Oh, thank god. It’s okay. We don’t have to pay for an ambulance. He’s awake.”

 

David opens his mouth to talk, but a small hand pressing against his forehead promptly cuts him off.

 

“Are you sure?” Max asks, flipping his hand and pressing the backs of his fingers to David’s cheek. “He feels like a fucking furnace.”

 

“I’m okay,” David finally gets in, but the rest ignore him.

 

“He doesn’t need a hospital,” Gwen says. “He just needs medicine and rest.”

 

Max doesn’t appear to confident with that answer, but he keeps quiet as Gwen helps David to his feet. For a moment, David staggers, legs bucking against the weight of his illness he doesn’t want to give into, but he manages to stay upright, and his vision clears enough that he can see without his surroundings swimming.

 

“I think I’ll just go lie down for a bit,” David says, smiling at the other campers. “I’ll be right as rain in no time!”

 

“Go with him, Max. Make sure he doesn’t fall off a cliff or something.”

 

David tries to protest, but Max stalks past him toward the direction of camp, and David can do nothing but follow the younger boy.

 

He crosses his arms over his chest, hugging his elbows as he follows Max down the path. It’s quiet, with only the sounds of David’s frequent coughing covering the silence that’s fallen between the two.

 

“Max?” David asks, voice hoarse and quiet but still loud enough to carry over toward the young boy. “Everything okay, bud?”

 

Max whips around, face screwed up in clear anger that contradicts the deep hint of concern coloring his eyes. He charges toward David and sucks in a sharp breath. “You’re a fucking idiot, you know that? Why do you do this shit? You aren’t some fucking immortal being; you’re just fucking David.”

 

David frowns, taking a step back as if Max’s words alone shove him. “Max, I-”

 

“Just, shut up,” Max says, voice too tired for his young age. “Let’s just get you back before you keel over again.” He turns away sharply and starts off ahead of David, and David stares at Max’s back for an endless moment.

 

David can’t keep the small smile from playing at his lips. He always knew that there was a heart somewhere in that boy.

 

“David!”

 

“Coming!” David shouts, shuffling after Max.

**Author's Note:**

> enjoy, guys :)


End file.
